A ‘vanlifer’ Instagram star who took her own life after battling depression had shared a smiling photo and vowed to work on her mental health just weeks before her death.
Canadian Lee Macmillan became an internet sensation by documenting her adventures Down Under with her Australian ex-partner Max Bidstrup and their dog Occy.
Mr Bidstrup shared the news of Ms Macmillan’s death on the pair’s @maxandlee_ Instagram page on Wednesday.
‘After living an extraordinary life, and fighting a brave battle with depression, our hearts are shattered to share that Lee took her life on Friday,’ Mr Bidstrup wrote.
He has since started the ‘#speakupforlee’ hashtag to raise awareness for mental illness and the importance of checking in on your friends.
On February 27, Ms Macmillan admitted to her 59,000 Instagram followers she was feeling ‘stressed’ and was taking some time to focus on her own wellbeing.
Lee Macmillan, who documented her journey Down Under with her Australian now-ex-partner Max Bidstrup and their dog Occy, tragically took her life last week
In January this year, the couple announced their split to their joint Instagram account, shocking their hordes of loyal followers and fans
On February 27, Ms Macmillan admitted to her 59,000 Instagram followers she was feeling ‘stressed’ and was taking some time to focus on her mental health
Max described his ex-partner as ‘the brightest light’ and a ‘magnetic force of nature’ who was loved by many
‘I’m taking a little bit of time as I plot out my next steps with my highest priority being to find balance and strengthen my mental health,’ she said.
‘Oh also, you know when you’re stressed and you already feel it in your body and then your body decides to remind you once more in case you forgot with a lovely cold sore.’
The photo she shared next to the post showed her smiling and jokingly covering up the cold sore with her finger.
In Wednesday’s post, Mr Bidstrup described his ex-partner as ‘the brightest light’ and a ‘magnetic force of nature’ who was loved by many.
‘We will miss her with every fiber of our hearts,’ he wrote.
‘If we can do one thing for Lee now, in the midst of this soul-crushing loss, it’s to spread the message that mental health is just as real as physical health, and that illness can strike anyone, no matter how unlikely they may seem.
‘It’s ok to not be ok, it’s ok to ask for help, it’s absolutely necessary to ask for help. Lee was an advocate for mental health. She was candid and open about her own struggles.’
Mr Bidstrup said Ms Macmillan was receiving help from professionals, family and friends for her depression.
The pair’s @maxandlee_ Instagram page, which has garnered more than 67,000 devoted followers, revealed the devastating news on Wednesday
The loved up couple spent five weeks travelling around southeast Asia together before returning to Canada where they bought and renovated a 2006 Dodge Sprinter van
‘She had support around her. She was not alone, she was not trying to fight this alone. And yet she still succumbed to this terrible illness. It is more nuanced than we can, or do, appreciate or understand,’ he said.
In a heartbreaking tribute on his personal Instagram account, Mr Bidstrup said Ms Macmillan was ‘the best person I have ever met’.
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‘You were the best thing to ever happen to me. I fell in love with you the day we met yet you were still the stronger one that said ‘I love you’ first. I never stopped loving you Mountie, I hope you know that,’ he wrote.
‘I will always cherish my time with you in this world and hope beyond hope to see you in the next.
‘Let’s spread the awareness of this issue, for Lee and every one else who needs to hear this. And hold your loved ones tight. Tell them you love them. Because life can change in an instant.
‘Life is more complex than a single social media post. Things are complicated. Don’t believe what you see online. Get out into the world and talk to your loved ones.
‘Check in. Ask them genuinely how they’re doing. Be available to help. To listen. To offer help. Remove the stigma of asking for help.’
Ms Macmillan and Mr Bidstrup – a paramedic from Wangaratta in Victoria – met while he was on a working holiday in Canada in 2016.
The couple spent the next few months exploring North America and eventually made their way through South America
Ms Macmillan and Mr Bidstrup – a paramedic from Wangaratta in Victoria – met while he was on a working holiday in Canada
Mr Bidstrup has since started the ‘#speakupforlee’ hashtag, to raise awareness for mental illness and the importance of checking in on your friends
The loved up couple then spent five weeks travelling around southeast Asia together before returning to Canada.
They purchased a 2006 Dodge Sprinter van for about $12,300, which they gutted and renovated for their road trips.
The pair spent the next few months exploring North America and eventually made their way through South America.
Ms Macmillan and Mr Bidstrup also spent almost six months in Mexico before visiting Panama.
In January this year, the couple announced their split to their joint Instagram account, shocking their hordes of loyal followers and fans.
They purchased a 2006 Dodge Sprinter van for about $12,300, which they gutted and renovated for their road trips
Mr Bidstrup said he will miss his ex-partner with ‘every fibre’ of his heart
‘Sadly though, despite going through so much together, and trying so damn hard, some things don’t always work out, no matter how much you want them to,’ they wrote alongside a photo of them.
‘We are very sorry to announce that the next chapter of our lives will not be one experienced together, as we will be going our separate ways from here.
‘The last month has been one of the most trying of our lives as we come to terms with this new reality. We both want what is best for each other and will continue to support each other now and in to the future.’⠀
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Source: Daily Mail
